Steam table



Aug. 30, 1938. B. ROACH 2,128,852-

STEAM TABLE Filed Sept. 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I! II I I m l I n f Inventor 2. floaa/z L. B. ROACH Aug. 30, 1938.

STEAM TABLE Filed Sept. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Shem; 2

Inventor;

A itornjas I Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in steam tables for use in heating foods in restaurants or in similar capacities.

The primary object of the invention is to equip a steam table with an improved hot water heating system including controls for maintaining the water in the table at a predetermined constant temperature and at a constant level.

Another object is to equip a steam table with an efiicient hot water supplying system in which the water may be heated'to the desired temperature by a single gas burner thereby effecting economy in operation, the burner being so located that the table is not subjected to the direct action of heat therefrom whereby warping and burning of the table is obviated.

Other and subordinate objects are also comp-rehended by my invention all of which together with the exact nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the following description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:'-

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a steam table equipped according to my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in front'elevation,

Figure 3 is a view in transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, I designates the usual steamtable of casing-like form for containing hot water and having formed at the top thereof the usual receptacles 2 for pots and pans forfood as the case may be.

According to my invention the table I is provided at one end thereof, preferably the lefthand end, with a gravity feed water tank 3 se cured to said table by a nipple 4 with its top level with the top of said table. At the opposite end of the table I and spaced therefrom is the usual gas heater 5 of the type having a watercoil and gas burner not shown since these devices are well-known and understood in the art. The heater 5 is suspended from said end of the table 'I by .means of an inlet pipe line 6 extended into the table in any suitable manner and, as will be understood, forming an extension of the aforementioned water coil. The usual air vent from the heater 5 has the form in this instance of a pipe line 1 extended into the adjacent end of the steam table I. A feeder pipe line 8 extends from the bottom of the tank 3 to the heater and is connected as at 9 to the lower end II] of the heating coil. The feeder line 8 inclines downwardly from the heater 5 to the tank 3 and is provided adjacent said tank with a drain cock II so that sediment may be drained from both the coil and said tank. The pipe line I, it will be understood,- is for venting air from the water coil under gravity feed of water from the tank 3 to said coil. This prevents rumbling in the coil and feeder line 8. Gas is fed to the heater 5 through a gas line I2 connected at one end to a suitable source of supply and having its. other end I3 connected to the heater burner in the usual manner with' a gas cock I4 interposed in the line of connection to said burner. Interposed in the gas line is a thermostatic control valve I5 threaded .as represented at IS in the front of the table I and including a thermostat member I'lextending therefrom into the steam table I adjacent to the bottom of the latter. The precise details of construction of the valve I5 being immaterial to the present invention have not been illustrated in the drawings.

Returning now to the tank 3, water is supplied thereto through .a supply pipe line I8 extending from the bottom of the tank to a suitable source of water supply under pressure and not shown. The supply line extends well into the tank 3 and is equipped at the outlet end thereof with a suitable form of float valve I9 controlled by the usual float 20. The numeral 2| designates a drain cock for draining sediment from the table I and which need merely be identified in passing.

As will now be understood the water is maintained at a constant level in the gravity feed tank 3; by the float valve I9, and consequently at thesame level in the steam table I. By virtue of the control valve I5 the flow of gas to the heater 5 is varied in accordance with variations in the temperature of the water contained in the table I so that the water in said table is maintainedat a constant temperature.

The construction, operation and advantages of my invention will, it is believed, be clear from the foregoing without further explanation. Manifestly the inventionas described is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to all such modifications falling within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:-

1. The combination with a steam table for containing water, of means for feeding waterto said table including a gravity feed water tank, a pipe line connecting said tank to said table, a

float Valve in said tank controllingthe level of Water therein, said tank having its top disposed level with the top of the table whereby the level of the water in the table is controlled in corre spondence with that in said tank, a heater interposed in the line of connection between said tank and table, a fuel supply line for said heater, and a thermostatically controlled valve in said fuel supply line including a thermostatic member extending therefrom into said table.

2. The combination with a steam table for containing water, of means for feeding water to said table including a gravity feed water tank, a pipe line connecting said tank to the table, a float valve in the tank controlling the level of water therein whereby the level of the water in the 7 table is controlled in correspondence with that in said tank, a heater interposed in the line of connection between said tank and table, a fuel supply line for said heater, and a thermostatically controlled valve in said fuel supply line including a thermostatic member extending therefrom into 10 said table.

' LOUIS B. ROACH. 

